Log burner installation complaint advice.

SameOldRoundabout

Back in June we paid £1900 to have a log burner installed. This was the cheaper of two packages offered, the other was £2600 and would include tiling the hole and a stone surround. They were all quite ugly so I chose the cheaper option. I asked my original chimney bricks be cleaned up instead. On fitting they said they were too dirty and would take too long to clean so they’d have to board and paint instead. I was disappointed with this but accepted it. They used cement board, possibly Hardie Backer. 

Fast forward to now, we’ve just started using it these last 3/4 weeks. Last Saturday there were a huge ting noise and the board behind the fire has cracked right across, and given the give it now has, right through. I emailed the company and they rather rudely replied simply with “picture??”

I sent a picture and after 2 chaser emails they promised to come today. I am not expecting to see them as they’ve ignored me asking what time etc. They are HETAS registered so I assumed they would be competent, but upon reading my stove manual it says 50mm minimum between the stove and non combustible materials. We have 29mm. Hardie Backer installation leaflet says 100mm but I’m not sure if I’m misreading that one! 

Anyway, if they do come, what are my rights here? We’ve plastered and made good since it was fitted and any reparation will destroy that. What should they reasonably be doing? And if they don’t turn up, what should my next step be? 

I rarely complain and usually chicken out but I don’t feel after paying almost £2000 the board installed by professionals should have failed after less than a month of use. 

Cash-Cows

Be prepared for them to say you are running the burner too hot too soon. 

Jeepers_Creepers

Blimey - what an outfit.

Do I take it that, for their quote, they included cleaning up the existing bricks, but when they came to the install declared that they were 'too dirty' to do so? Wow. 

Where is the 29mm gap - between which surfaces? And roughly what would the gap have been before they fitted the unwanted boards?

Finally - do you have Legal Protection on your home insurance? Great! They should handle this for you. 

FreeBear

Jeepers_Creepers said: Do I take it that, for their quote, they included cleaning up the existing bricks, but when they came to the install declared that they were 'too dirty' to do so? Wow.

In all fairness, when I did my fireplace, the bricks were soaked in soot & tar and wouldn't have cleaned up too well. In addition, they were rough old bricks (all the seconds that would never have been used as facing bricks), so would have looked piggin' ugly.

Cement board is one of the better materials to use behind a stove as long as the manufacturer's recommendations are observed.

Hardiebacker specify a minimum of 100mm from a stove which would take precedence of the 50mm clearance given by the stove manufacturer - Scroll down to the Multi Fuel Installation Guide - https://www.jameshardie.co.uk/en/tile-backerboard/hardiebacker